1
as in counterfeits
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
experts declared that one of the museum's prized paintings was actually a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
a hidden-camera investigation revealed that the so-called psychic was a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in forges
to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive
pranksters faked giant footprints and then claimed that they had seen Bigfoot
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pretends
to present a false appearance of
while running for class president, Dan was not above faking friendship with people just to get their votes
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in devises
to perform, make, or do without preparation
if you give me the gist of the plan, I can probably fake enough for the speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in evades
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement
the running back faked the defense by stepping to his left and then quickly cutting to the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fakes
Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
The flurry of non-consensual deep fakes produced on the platform prompted outrage and concern across the globe.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
In the passing game, McDaniel uses a wide array of play-action fakes to suck linebackers toward the line of scrimmage, creating windows in the middle of the field.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
For now, the small-cap breakout to a new high should be respected after so many head fakes since 2021.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
In the meantime, prepare and arm your self and your company to better spot the fakes—start with video.
—Dean Debiase, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
While other brands have flocked to Amazon as of late, ABH has been on it for some time to prevent fakes being sold on the site.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026
This change comes after Grok received a dressing-down from users and international officials for complying with requests to digitally undress women and underage girls or create sexualized deep fakes of them without their consent.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab offers a good primer on discerning video fakes.
—James Warren, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
Julie Brener Davich, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Each time Ivy's owner, Ryan, draws nearer, the dog fakes him out and bounds away, tail wagging.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Ake fakes a core breach to get Braka off the ship, with the Klingarite reluctantly leaving.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
Brunson fakes the swing to the right corner, blows past VJ Edgecombe, gets both feet into the paint, draws two defenders and finds OG Anunoby in the left corner.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
In Part 3, Assane (Sy) steals the Black Pearl, earns the support of the French public, fakes his own death, and saves his estranged mother’s life.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
Jackson fakes the quarterback run before throwing it to Sparks for a touchdown.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 22 Nov. 2025
However, after a reconciliation and tearful goodbye with Glinda, Elphaba forms a plan to use the rumor that getting wet will kill her to her advantage and—unbeknownst to Glinda—ultimately fakes her own death by allowing Dorothy to throw a bucket a water on her.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
On fourth-and-2 from 48-yard line, Nix fakes pitch to Dobbins and Sutton is open from moment left line of scrimmage because of formation.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
The overwhelming motive for the early fakes was to provide entertainment — about three-quarters of the images in the exhibition were created for this purpose, Rooseboom said.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
The flurry of non-consensual deep fakes produced on the platform prompted outrage and concern across the globe.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
In the passing game, McDaniel uses a wide array of play-action fakes to suck linebackers toward the line of scrimmage, creating windows in the middle of the field.
—Daniel Popper, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
For now, the small-cap breakout to a new high should be respected after so many head fakes since 2021.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
In the meantime, prepare and arm your self and your company to better spot the fakes—start with video.
—Dean Debiase, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
While other brands have flocked to Amazon as of late, ABH has been on it for some time to prevent fakes being sold on the site.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026
This change comes after Grok received a dressing-down from users and international officials for complying with requests to digitally undress women and underage girls or create sexualized deep fakes of them without their consent.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab offers a good primer on discerning video fakes.
—James Warren, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
As with any market, more money means more scammers, and fakes abound — this past fall Sotheby’s cancelled two memorabilia auctions over authenticity concerns.
—Julie Brener Davich, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Each time Ivy's owner, Ryan, draws nearer, the dog fakes him out and bounds away, tail wagging.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Ake fakes a core breach to get Braka off the ship, with the Klingarite reluctantly leaving.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
Brunson fakes the swing to the right corner, blows past VJ Edgecombe, gets both feet into the paint, draws two defenders and finds OG Anunoby in the left corner.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
In Part 3, Assane (Sy) steals the Black Pearl, earns the support of the French public, fakes his own death, and saves his estranged mother’s life.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
Jackson fakes the quarterback run before throwing it to Sparks for a touchdown.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 22 Nov. 2025
However, after a reconciliation and tearful goodbye with Glinda, Elphaba forms a plan to use the rumor that getting wet will kill her to her advantage and—unbeknownst to Glinda—ultimately fakes her own death by allowing Dorothy to throw a bucket a water on her.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
On fourth-and-2 from 48-yard line, Nix fakes pitch to Dobbins and Sutton is open from moment left line of scrimmage because of formation.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fakes
Noun
-
Each item passes through a multi-step process combining advanced imaging, database cross-references, and final expert verification, a hybrid system that eliminates bias, minimizes error, and safeguards agains increasingly sophisticated counterfeits.—
Tanya Benedicto Klich,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Do carve out a spot for the Mongkok market, with its colorful juxtaposition of souvenirs, food, fashions — beware of counterfeits, though — with live fish and even birds.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The frauds have grown nearly in lockstep with the growth of the industry.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
-
There is absolutely no evidence that frauds of this type or anywhere near this scale are happening in any of the other four states, or frankly that there is a large volume of as-yet-undiscovered fraud in Minnesota itself.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Symson acknowledged the need for consolidation as the industry forges ahead into a new era.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The collision of opposing perspectives forges art that challenges and confronts, that forces us out of familiar ways of thinking, relating and being.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Security researchers have uncovered a malicious Chrome and Edge extension called NexShield that pretends to be a fast, privacy-friendly ad blocker.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The story about a woman, who is considered a cursed bride, and her husband, who pretends to be possessed in an attempt to control her, is the first all-Pakistani feature at the Berlin International Film Festival, which has in the past featured Pakistani co-productions.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the doppelganger charms the internet and devises a nefarious plot to replace mankind with brainrot, Shiori must partner with other online outcasts to stop her digital counterpart and reclaim her life in the real world.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
-
In the past, Cooper — who seems to have finally reconciled with his wife, Barb (Frances Turner) — devises a plan to stop the ongoing wars over power with Congresswoman Welch to get the cold fusion diode into the hands of the President of the United States (played by series newcomer Clancy Brown).—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Experts who spoke to Flow Space are hopeful that these new approvals will provide the necessary tools to treat a disease that evades treatment by constantly mutating.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
16 Dec. 2025
-
In the film, Sea-Based X-Band Radar detects a missile flying across the Pacific Ocean toward Chicago that later evades interception.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Los Angeles Times reported that similar threats in multiple states, including Georgia, were traced to Russian domains and labeled politically disruptive hoaxes.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
18 Nov. 2025
-
In addition to the various homecoming shootings on HBCU campuses, several schools have fallen victim to swatting hoaxes aiming to foster confusion and chaos among the community.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Momentum hardens, vulnerabilities are exposed and the gap between contenders and pretenders is out in the open.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fakes. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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